Improved chair, cradle, cot



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. NVIGHTMAN, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

IMPRovl-:D CHAIR, CRADLE, CoT, ete.

Specification-forming part of Letters Patent No. 95,544, dated October 5, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN .l. WIGHTMAN, of the city and district of Charleston, in the State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful article of furniture, which I call a Oombinatiou-Qhair57 and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus when arranged as a rocking-chair. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same when arranged as a cradle, and Fig. 3 is a similar .elevation of the same when arranged as a cot. Figs. 4 and 5 are details.

' The saine letter marks the same part in the several iigures. A

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and method of .arranging and connecting the several elements of a convertible article of furniture, so that by simple adjustmen ts they will form eithera rockin g-chair, cradle, or cot at the will of the user, and be capable of being separated and made into a compact and convenient package for transportation, all as hereinafter moreparticularly set forth.

To enable others to make and use my improved combination-chair, l will proceed to describe its construction and operation. It consists of four principal parts and their several connections.

In the drawings, A marks the lower member or rocker; B, the long brace; C, the short brace, and D the flexible sacking or bottom. The rocker and braces are double, the two sidesbeing alike and connected by appropriate transverse members at a, b, c, d, and e. (See Fig. 3.) The rocker A is pivoted at b to the short brace C and at c to the long brace B. One end of the flexible sacking D is iixed to a dat roller, G, which turns on pivots e in the upper end of brace B. The free end of the sacking D is attached to a flat bar, F, the ends of which are adapted to fit in grooves f in the upper end of the brace B. The sacking can be rolled on the roller G or on bar F, either or both, as may be found most convenient.

Checks h t' are attached to the rockers to prevent the rocking movement, when required. Two hooks, F, are attached by staples `to the ends of braces C, and are in certain positions of the parts received by the eyes g, attached to braces B. Other hooks, k, are attached to the lower and inner sides of braces B, and en gage with eyes l on the inside of the forward ends of the rockers A. (See Fig. 3.)

To form a chair, the arrangement of parts required is clearly shown in Fig. 1. The brace U is inclined forward inside of the brace B, and the hooks E are caught in the eyesg and hold the bracesA in the position shown. The nexible sacking is unwound from roller G, passed around the seat-board, which connects the upper ends of brace C, and then carried backward and upward'till the bar F is inserted in the mortise f 'in the upper end of brace B. The amount of sag given to the sacking is regulated to suit the wishes of the user by winding or unwinding it from its rollers. When the iat bar F is inserted in the mortisesf it prevents the roller G from turning.

To convert the chair represented in Fig. l into a cradle, as represented in Fig. 2, all that is necessary is to unhook the hooks E from the eyes g and adjust the length of sacking to the requirements of the case.

To form a cot, the braces B C are unfolded to their greatest extent, as shown in Fig. 3. The hooks k are inserted in the eyes l to keep the brace B extended, and the sacking is carried around outside of all the cross-pieces, and

again attached atf, as shown. The checks l1. i are brought into position to prevent rocking by the upfolding of the braces, the ends of the braces acting against them to force and hold them .down when the braces are unfolded, as shown in Fig. 3. By disconnecting the braces from the rocker the-three parts can be placed on top of eachother and wrapped with the sacking, so as to form a compact bundle for transportation. By inverting the cot a small shelter-tent is formed, applicable to the Wants of a soldier in the field.

The sacking D may be vmade of any mate rial the manufacturer may prefer.

Having thus fully described my invention, The above specification of my said invenwliat I claim, I.ind desire to secure by Letters tion signed and witnessed at Charleston, South Patent, is- Carolina., this 12th day of August, A. D. 1869.

The convertible article of furniture herein- JOHN T. WIGHTMAN. before described, capable of being used as a chair, cradle, cot, or shelter-tent by altering Witnesses: the relative positions of the rockers A, braces BENJAMIN F. EVANS,

B (l), and sucking D, in the manner described CHAS. H. MUCKENFUSS. an( shown. 

